Grades 1-4

Come Join Us! We'll be looking for you!

AJA guides our students along their educational journey by making sure that each child is prepared for the next stage in learning. Our multi-grade classrooms allow flexibility in making sure that each child experiences a continued perfect placement. Our beginning elementary program is perfect for children who have successfully developed a positive attitude toward learning and are ready to focus on becoming strong learners who master the building blocks of reading, writing, and math while fostering a positive growth mindset.

Learning focus

In these beginning years, school becomes more structured and students have increased ownership in the learning experience and their growth. Social studies and science are taught through hands-on activities. Drama, art, and music are integrated thematically across the curriculum. Students participate in process writing and read a variety of literature. Students transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn” in these middle grades. Math skills are developed through practical applications, cooperative learning, manipulatives, and games.

Curriculae

Because it is our mission to provide an excellent school program in which children are able “To increase in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man;” we have chosen to use only high-quality curriculae that meet or exceed the NAD Education Standards and state standards.

Religion/Bible: Encounter Bible, North America Division of SDA

Mathematics: Go Math, Houghton Mifflin

Reading/Phonics: Saxon Phonics, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Reading/Writing: Pathways, Kendall Hunt Publishers

Handwriting: Handwriting Without Tears

Technology: Typing Pal

Physical Education: Spark Physical Education

Science: By Design Science, Kendall Hunt Publishers

Social Studies: Networks Social Studies, McGraw-Hill

Art: ArtsAttack

Hours and daily schedule

The school day runs from 8:00-3:15 Monday-Thursday, and until 12:15 on Friday. Here is a typical schedule: Coming Soon

Field trips

Field trips provide experiential learning that is not ordinarily available in the classroom. Field trips are integrated into the curriculae to support learning objectives. Several field trips include: [update field trips].

Outdoor education

Our beginning elementary grades' outdoor education takes the form of day trips out into God's nature where students examine different habitats and how people can affect the environment.

Music

***text describing the components of the music program for these grades, and how often students are involved in each

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Meet our teacher

Ms. Katie Richmond

Hometown:

Anchorage, Alaska (born)

Santa Rosa, California (raised)

Graduated from:

Pacific Union College, Masters of Education

Hobbies:

reading great books, using my imagination when doing arts 'n crafts, growing things in the garden, watching good hockey games, trying out new recipes on family and friends, taking my dog on excursions, collecting stars

Secret/special talent:

You may not know this, but I love to sing and listen to music! My family also tells me I'm an excellent cookie baker.

Favorite thing about being a teacher:

My favorite thing about being a teacher is creating a school environment where kids want to be! I love doing art lessons alongside my students, watching them crack the code of reading, and conquering a difficult math concept or writing skill, or predicting the correct hypotheses during a science experiment.

Most of all, I love to bring my students into God's presence daily while reminding them of Jesus' love and plan for their lives. I enjoy getting to know my students and their families because a strong team between the classroom and family is essential to school success!

Why do you love teaching at AJA: I am so excited to be teaching at AJA this year! I was born in Anchorage but don't remember living here. I'm looking forward to making my own Alaskan memories while serving the great families of Anchorage.